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1/10/2012

Learning fear of the Lord

There has been so much going on in my life in just the 10 days in 2012. I am confident, however, though they are scary changes, they are good changes. But, my heart and mind are not yet ready to share or even ponder about them right now and everything is too tangled up to even make sense. Instead, I'd like to continue my study on Jeremiah.

I think there are so many misconceptions about God that we christians are not setting straight. I read facebook status that say things like: "God is interested in you, not in what you do" and that gets many likes. Yes it sounds really nice, but the phrase is so ambiguous and untrue. No wonder this generation's christians are deemed "light".

And then I take a look at verses like these:

Jeremiah 3

1 “If a man divorces his wife

and she leaves him and marries another man,

should he return to her again?

Would not the land be completely defiled?

But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers—

would you now return to me?”

declares the LORD.

3 Therefore the showers have been withheld,

and no spring rains have fallen.

Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute;

you refuse to blush with shame.

4 Have you not just called to me:

‘My Father, my friend from my youth,

5 will you always be angry?

Will your wrath continue forever?’

This is how you talk,

but you do all the evil you can.”

Oh, my mind is already ahead of you, dear reader.. "But this was the old testament. We live in the covenant of grace now.." thinketh this sinful mind. Defiled land, prostitute. I don't think God would use these words if he was not interested in what Israel was doing, and He was only interested in His chosen people. Why do you want to believe you can flirt with the world and not realize you become defiled land unworthy for the Lord. Do you think God will just watch your rebellion and do nothing about it!

12.. “‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the LORD,

‘I will frown on you no longer,

for I am faithful,’ declares the LORD,

‘I will not be angry forever.

13 Only acknowledge your guilt—

you have rebelled against the LORD your God,

Seriously, our God is too good. How many times have I questioned what God does in my life when it was my rebellion that got me there!

Jeremiah 4

18 “Your own conduct and actions

have brought this on you.

This is your punishment.

How bitter it is!

How it pierces to the heart!”

Jeremiah 5

24 They do not say to themselves,

‘Let us fear the LORD our God,

who gives autumn and spring rains in season,

who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’

"Only acknowledge your guilt.." hmmm. I ponder on this part of the verse for quite some time. People (me included) always claim guilt being brought about by the devil and we should avoid feeling guilt and embrace Jesus' forgiveness instead. So I wonder: is feeling guilt something good? I guess that I need to apply semantics here. The verse says "acknowledge" not "feel." Guilt is not meant to commiserate or victimize. It is meant to acknowledge your place before God and how amazing He is for having you still before Him. It should move you never to rebel before such a God again. It should stir fear of the Lord that He is righteous, He giveth and taketh away!

What moves me most is the fact that God kept calling Israel to return. Like the Father He is, always there waiting for our return, never to become astray again. So no, Father, I will not be a defiled land, but a faithful land for You.

These aren't popular feel-good christian verses like the ones they so love to paste on facebook. Do you "refuse to blush in shame"? Have you forgotten God gave you everything, including the seasons? I don't want to fall in neither. Guard and keep me from this; as for me, I'll guard my heart above all things and serve the You Lord eagerly.